This invention relates to apparatus for connecting wooden components and the like, and more particularly to apparatus for emplacement of wooden components in position for being joined together (jigging said members) and having means for fastening said members together by driving connector plates (nailing plates) thereunto.
The invention is in the field of automated wooden component connection apparatus of the type in which components are placed in position on a table (jigged) in the position in which they are to be fastened together, and connector plates (nailing plates) segmented from continuous connector plate strip are driven into said components, one from above, one from below through an opening in the table, for the fastening together of said components. This type of apparatus is well known in the art; reference may be made to the copending coassigned Ser. No. 09/347,326, filed Jul. 2, 1999, entitled Coil Advance Drive for an Apparatus for Applying Links of Connector Plate Coils to Wooden Frames, showing such apparatus, said application being incorporated herein by reference. An example of such a machine is Model No. 35500 Coilfed Machine available from MiTek Industries, Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri. Another example of such a machine is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,816. These machines are characterized by their use of a coil of connector plate material, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,708, rather than preformed individual plates. Said prior apparatus is used, for example, to make hip roof trusses or wood crates, for manufacturing wooden frames for furniture or box springs, and to make other wood assemblies. The prior apparatus has been generally satisfactory but, at times, some difficulty has been encountered in the emplacement of the wood members in jigged position on the table due to the obstruction of the table by connector plate segmenting and driving instrumentalities overhanging the table.
In the operation of such machines, the initial setup of the jigging members to properly position the wooden members has been difficult because of the different types and sizes of wooden members used, the variety of angles that they are positioned relative to one another and because of the variety of sizes of nailing plates used to join the wooden members together. Further, setting the jigging members sometimes requires work in the plate pressing area which raises issues of personnel safety.
Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of apparatus of the type described above improved to the extent of facilitating the manual emplacement (jigging) of the wooden members to be fastened together by the connector plates; the provision of such apparatus wherein the emplacement may be carried out without obstruction from the connector plate segmenting and driving instrumentalities; the provision of such apparatus enabling set-up of various jigging patterns for the wooden members; the provision of such apparatus that is easy and efficient to set up any desired jigging pattern; the provision of such apparatus that improves personnel safety; and the provision of such apparatus which is of relatively simple and economical construction and relatively simple and convenient to use.
In general, apparatus of this invention is for connection of wooden components or the like in which wood members are fastened together by a connector plate segmented from a continuous strip of connector plates, said plates having integral nails extending from one face thereof and connected end-to-end lengthwise of the strip. It comprises a feeder operable to feed the strip forward with its nails extending down to bring the leading plate of the strip to a position for being segmented from the strip and driven downward, and a driver for driving the segmented strip down. It is characterized in having a table for the emplacement thereon of wood members in a pattern for being fastened together, said table being mounted for movement between a position out from under said driver for emplacement of said members and a position under said driver for the driving of a segmented connector plate down for penetration of its nails into said members.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.